Be guided by rule of law, Senate tells Plateau Assembly

The Senate on Tuesday urged the Plateau State House of Assembly to be guided by the rule of law and constitutional provision in all its legislative business particularly where and when it affects the appointment and impeachment of a presiding officer. 

This followed a motion by Senator Gyang Istifanus (PDP, Plateau), who called the attention of the Senate to the impeachment of Speaker Ayuba Abok.

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Abok was, on October 27, impeached by eight lawmakers of the 24-member legislature and elected Yakubu Sanda as the new Plateau speaker.

But Abok and members loyal to him are still laying claim to the speakership position, describing the process leading to the impeachment as unconstitutional. 

Security operatives sealed the complex and barred both factions from accessing the facility. 

Gyang said the alleged impeachment of the speaker fell short of the two-third constitutionally-required number as provided for in Section 92(c) of the Constitution.

Senator Gabriel Suswam said: “the behaviour of the members has the capacity to negatively affect the perception of the international community as the way we are running our democracy.

“If we do not react swiftly, we’ll be seen to be abdicating our own responsibility as enshrined in the Constitution as amended 1999.”